1. TNI standards in California and Small Utility Labs
Dan Jackson
City of Benicia
TNI / NEMC August 9, 2017

2. How many small labs in California?
How small is “small”?
1 or 2 FTE’s
Value of these labs to public health and environment
How many are there?
No one knows – maybe 50% of California’s 670 certified labs?
Wastewater labs are required to be certified under California state regulations.

3. TNI is coming: What will it take?
COMMITMENT & EDUCATION
Commitment comes from an assessment that the transition is worth-while.
Not all agencies may choose to remain certified.
Power of examples
On-site consultant assistance seems critical for small organizations.

4. TNI is coming: What will it take?
FUNDING
Increased costs during transition
Permanent budget increase
What are the long-term costs?
TIME
Complete change in work culture and processes
Can’t just hire consultant to re-write quality manual.
State of California currently proposing 3 year period to achieve compliance.

5. One lab’s experience so far
We are here
City of Benicia Laboratory:
Drinking Water and Wastewater
Only complex instrument is IC
4 FTEs
First TNI Steps:
Started with internal audit and corrective action
Tried to implement 7 V1M2 clauses in August
(4.9, 4.10, 4.11, 4.12, 4.14, 4.15, 4.16)
Consultant audit in January: 21 findings
Plan was for 3-4 months to correct before 2nd audit
Question:
If a lab has 3 years, what is the optimal sequence to implement the TNI standards?

6. Process of Natural Selection?
Not everyone is going to make it…
Some true stories from small California labs:
50% staff turnover causes turmoil.
Plan to de-certify and only do process control.
No $$ for additional staff or software, so good luck.
No idea of what is about to happen.
ELAP is planning education and other assistance
Training sessions and document templates
But how to provide on-going on-site assistance?
Experience from other states is sobering
Study of 78 municipal labs in Florida that became uncertified during and after TNI1:
22% never achieved TNI certification
78% relinquished certification after initial success
1 Dr. David Kimbrough, City of Pasadena

7. What long-term resources are needed?
Since ΔGreac > 0,
TNI accreditation is a non-spontaneous process
Education and assistance can reduce ΔGact
Are the long-term costs sustainable for small municipal labs?
ΔGact
ΔGreac
Pre-TNI
Free energy required for accreditation

8. Questions from California:
Given 3 years, what is the optimal sequence to implement the TNI standards?
What magnitude of long-term costs should labs plan for to maintain accreditation?